RECORD CLEARED FOR BOZRAH LEADER
Charges have been dropped against Bozrah First Selectman Glenn Pianka after police say he wrote a letter threatening to kill his wife. Pianka appeared Friday in Norwich Superior Court, after completing a treatment program for those involved in domestic disputes. The judge removed a protective order that forbid the first selectman from seeing his ex-wife, and had three pistols that police had seized more than a year ago returned to him. Pianka was charged in March, 2016, after sending the letter, and waiting in his Bozrah home for his wife to come home. Police say he was planning to shoot her and then himself, but then abandoned the plan when his daughter came home instead. Police say Pianka’s wife had filed for divorce. He continued to serve as Bozrah first selectman during the criminal case, and plans to run for re-election this year.
RETIRED POLICE CAPTAIN SUES
A retired New London police captain has filed suit against the city, claiming it reneged on a deal. Captain Steven Crowley says the city agreed back in January 2012, that they would pay his full medical coverage upon retirement. The deal was made as the city council and then-mayor Daryl Finizio was embroiled in a dispute over the retirements of two other police captains. The attorney representing Crowley says he’s had to pay for some of his medical coverage since he retired in November, 2014. City officials have denied such a deal with Crowley was agreed-to.
LEDYARD STUDENT HIT LIST
Police say they’ve been looking-into what appears to be a hit list of Ledyard High School students that someone posted on Instagram. The list contains a name of a male and female student from each grade level. Police say they already increased security at the school Thursday due to speculation that some sort of attack may occur there, as it was the 18th anniversary of the Columbine school massacre. Police say there has been no credible evidence of any threat.
I-95 PURSUIT
A Branford man has been charged with driving under the influence, and engaging a police officer in a pursuit after a chase early Friday morning that ended near Interstate 95 in Groton. Town police say 30-year old Justin Rich was driving erratically on Route 12 near Walker Hill Road around 1:30 AM. Rich led police onto the exit 86 off-ramp driving the wrong way. His car slowed down, apparently due to a mechanical problem. He eventually abandoned it near the Groton reservoir, where he was apprehended.
ROAD RAGE INVOLVING FEDERAL AGENT
A federal agent traveling in New London Friday morning is involved in an apparent road rage incident. Police say the plain-clothes agent was stopped at the intersection of Eugene O’Neill Drive and Governor Winthrop Boulevard around 7:50 AM, when a man in a Dunbar security uniform drove up near him, and pointed a gun. The agent called police and followed the suspect, who finally stopped near Reed Street and Wausau Place. Arrested was 29-year old Jason Gross of Colchester, who was charged with reckless endangerment, threatening, and breach of peace. A semi-automatic pistol and ammunition was seized.
PRIVATIZATION OPPOSED
Governor Dannel Malloy’s plan to turn-over operations of state-run group homes for the developmentally-disabled to private agencies is being sharply criticized by family members of those who use the facilities. Maureen Shaffner-Dubois has a 46-year old brother that’s lived all his life in the Hartford-area group home in Newington. She says it shouldn’t be privatized. Family members of other group home residents also spoke out against the potential privatization, which is a budget-saving proposal from the Governor. Malloy says as many as 11-hundred state employees could be issued lay-off notices next month if worker concessions don’t materialize.
